


Whatever They Give You

by CescaLR



Category: Oxenfree (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Drinking, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, Marijuana, Michael Lives (Oxenfree), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past/Referenced Time Travel, Swearing, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Truth or Dare, except it's truth or slap, except not really but that's what they technically are anyway, idk I'm definitely changing these as I go along, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27319999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CescaLR/pseuds/CescaLR
Summary: Multiple choice: Which is it?A) 1907: When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying, now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that happened.B) 1912: When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but I am getting old, and soon I shall remember only the latter.C) 1924: When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that never happened.D) All of the above.E) None at all.
Relationships: Alex & Clarissa & Jonas & Nona & Ren (Oxenfree), Alex & Nona (Oxenfree), Alex/Jonas (Oxenfree), Clarissa/Michael (Oxenfree), Jonas & Alex & Nona (Oxenfree), Jonas & Nona (Oxenfree), Nona/Ren (Oxenfree), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Whatever They Give You

**Author's Note:**

> take 2, action.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and yet; here we are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, like, fingers crossed the way I wrote this (which is different to my usual M.O.) doesn't read like shit.

"... If it's music, we go. If it's a voice, then we don't," Ren says. "Go on. Turn the dials, Alex. Let's leave it up to fate!"

"What?" Alex says. She glances at Ren, sat on the curb. She can smell his particular brand of cannabis on the air, so either he's been cooking some up recently and his clothes got entrenched in the fumes, he's high right now, or he's got a few _magic brownies_ on him. Alex has her bet on three out of three. It's probably, she thinks, what's making her brain a little fuzy, and she thinks the new kid has the right idea leaning up against the car, on the other side of the small car park, away from the 

_'- unreliable - burnout -'_

Alex frowns, lightly, presses her teeth into her tongue slightly, a grounding sensation. What was _that?_ She doesn't - she doesn't think badly of Ren's habits, usually. Sure, sometimes he takes things a little far, as in, he doesn't ever really think about consequences, but its never dangerously inconsiderate. Ren always sort of... toes the line. Doesn't cross it. Except for the times they've gotten into trouble of course, like when they were thirteen and tried to steal non-existent alcohol from the teacher's lounge because Ren got it into his head that they'd have some, but, that's not _always._ They're isolated incidents. And, okay, sure, if he did mismeasure the magic (as he'd put it) this time, it wouldn't be the first time, and, sure, Alex never likes chasing him around and playing shepard trying to herd an unruly sheep away from the edge of a cliff, but... it's just Edwards island. They've been there so many times Ren could probably navigate safely with his eyes closed walking backwards while on the strongest stuff he's got. 

It's fine. 

Alex can't explain why she's suddenly very aggravated by the hazy sort of weed smell coming off of him, though. 

"Were you not listening?" Ren says, faux wounded. "Seriously, though, Alex, if you didn't want to go, you could have said. It doesn't look like anyone else is coming, anyway."

"You said leave it up to fate," Alex says, readjusting her grip on the radio. "Let's see..." Alex turns the dial, automatically, and she finds herself tuning into a live frequency with more precision and ease than she'd have thought - like, like she's used this old thing before. It's not got many frequencies available, and she kind of misses her WAL radio, but beggars can't be choosers. 

... Wave Assisted Lock. Huh. Alex must have paid more attention to the Edwards Island tour than she thought, over the years. 

Music plays. "Well," Ren says, and then it cuts - "Alex? Alex, can you - its Alex." 

Alex blinks.

"And me," A male voice says, and Alex snaps her head towards Jonas, surprised, a feeling echoed in his own expression. The other 17 year old stands up straight, shoulders tense, and edges closer to hear better. The voices, _hers_ and his, apparently, somehow, and if not an eerily accurate replication, echo through the distorted connection like... voices through a tunnel. The microphone quality is shit. Like an old ham radio, or something along those lines. 

"Jonas," Jonas adds. "We," "- We don't have much time," Alex interrupts him, "But listen to us. Please. Don't come to Edwards Island. Alex, stay away. Stay far, far away. Both of you. All of you. If you can-"

And it cuts off there. Alex looks at Jonas, wide eyed, and then at Ren.

"Wa-ha-how, Alex," Ren says, "Getting a prank in with the new guy in town without me finding out! How'd you guys get Carly to-"

"Ren, I don't know Carly - I - I - this isn't a prank, I don't - that's not - that _is_ me but it's not _me -_ I didn't -" Alex stares at the radio in her hands. They are still, calm, despite the pounding in her heart. Like she's learnt to... soldier on. Panic helps no-one, but Alex has only had the one harrowing experience in her life. 

... What would that be? Alex frowns, reaches up to rub at her forehead with her left hand. If she's honest, Alex has had zero harrowing experiences. She's left a rather cushy life, if you don't count the 'parents argue all the time' thing, which she doesn't. Who's parents don't argue? 

Parents in a happy marriage, she supposes.

"That's not me," Jonas says, deadly serious. "That's not - I've never - this is our first conversation," Jonas says, gesturing between himself and Alex. "When would we have - you've been dragging me around town since I got here! How would I have gotten time to - ?"

Ren frowns. "A good point," He says. "Which makes this a very interesting and somewhat eerie conundrum, however, it is also an _amazing_ prank, and I highly doubt this is your first conversation," Ren stands. "Since we talked in the car journey here."

"Well..." Alex swallows. "That... that wasn't - that wasn't a prank. And we heard a voice, so..."

"But we also heard music," Ren points out. "So it seems fate wants us to choose."

"Look, your sister isn't showing up," Jonas says. "And if nobody's going to be there, and frankly after _that_ I don't feel like going anywhere near Edwards Island... what's the point?"

"A fair assessment," Ren says. Ren blinks, and then takes his phone out of his pocket. "Huh," He says. "Yeah, Nona says nobody else is there... she and Clarissa are going to take the ferry back across."

"Clarissa, great," Slips out before Alex can think about what Ren just said, and she stills, shoulders straightening, confused. What's - Alex likes Clarissa. She's good for Michael, and she's always been decent to Alex. Bitchy, sure. But not _that_ kind of bitchy. 

"I know, I know you guys had a recent, mild, completely ridiculous inconsequential argument," Ren says, as Alex frowns at him. "But that doesn't mean Nona couldn't invite her best friend along! It'd be like - like if... Like if Nona invited me and I _didn't_ bring you, it'd be unfathomable."

"It wasn't ridiculous or inconsequential," Alex rebuffs. "She's been bitchier than normal all month, just because Michael decided to take a gap year in town instead of flee to the winds with her as soon as the school year is up. But, anyway, she's a senior. She did this last year, if Clarissa was with us it'd, like, change the whole mood. The _point_ is it's a las hurrah before Senior year, so -"

"Yes, we get it, Alex," Ren says, "You're feeling a little bit grumpy today, we understand. Seriously, if you wanted to watch re-runs of the Swedish cartoon and do weed at my house, you should have said."

"I'll pass on the second half, thanks," Alex says. 

"Well," Ren says. "Wait for Nona?" 

"Sure," Alex says. "We can always take the party elsewhere. It's not like we don't have enough beaches here, after all. Safe ones, that don't have weird radio messages about staying away telling us to... stay away."

"Articulate," Ren says, "And perfectly understandable, if I decide to play along and agree that that was not you two trying to mess with me. For the record, I'm playing along because Jonas is new, and it's a masterfully crafted prank. You both really sold it on the acting there, total panic, like, like -"

"Like the people speaking were panicking?" Jonas says. "Because they were. I know what I sound like when I'm - when I'm scared, or freaking out, and that was both of those times... a fuck load."

"Yes, yes, because it wasn't you both, just people that can mimic your voices perfectly," Ren says, knowingly, and winks at Alex. "I understand. Look, alright, if we're going to wait out here on the coast in the freezing cold for the two on the island, _I'm_ going to imbibe the magic... in the car, where it's warm."

"Should have worn a coat," Alex says, wisely, fingers curling around the cuffs of her sleeves. "We don't all have older brothers with an impeccable taste in fashion from whom to steal our jackets, Alex," Ren says, walking over to the car. 

"Just watch it in there, alright?" Alex says. "I'm only borrowing it tonight. Don't want it stinking of weed, you know my Mom hates the stuff and it's her car."

"I'll be careful!" Ren insists, then shuts himself into the vehicle.

"So, uh," Jonas says. "... smoke?" He asks. He walks over to the railing on the edge, overlooking the ocean, and leans against it. Alex follows suit. "... Sure," She decides. He hands one over, with the lighter, and her fingers remember the motions. She takes a drag, like it hasn't been as long as it has (she was fourteen, the last time she tried this), and the smoke pools in her lungs for a moment, thick tar, before she blows it out onto the wind, watches the visible twenty-percent of smoke coil in the air. Alex would have thought she'd go into a mild coughing fit, but apparently the body remembers these things. She hands Jonas back his lighter. There's a glint of metal in his pocket, something sticking out. 

"What's that?" She asks. Jonas looks down, then laughs awkwardly. "Oh," He says, and takes out a set of lockpicks. "You know," He scratches the side of his jaw. "Just in case."

"Need those a lot?" She asks. 

"More than you'd think," He says, lips quirking up. "Ah, skills of a misspent youth, as they say."

Alex frowns out, over the water. "I don't think they say that," She echoes, a feeling of deja-vu striking her in a way that's... expected. Alex knows she's had this conversation before, maybe, or at least heard those words, said this (or something close to it's sentiment) in response. Little variations don't matter, she supposes. 

All things happen as they will.

Jonas frowns too, shoves the set back into his pocket. Alex fiddles with the dials on her - on the radio Ren had her bring, and finds nothing but discomforting static. It'd be worse, she thinks, to find a disjointed poor signal, but she's not entirely sure why. 

"It's weird," Jonas says. "But... I've never been to this place before. And it's nothing like North Valley. But." His frown deepens. "It's familiar, somehow. Like I've walked these streets, seen this view. Something from an old memory."

"Some people say you can remember past lives," Alex says. "Maybe an ancestor lived here?"

Jonas laughs. "Do you believe that?"

"Not really," Alex shrugs. "But who knows? You know, now you mention it, I've been having weird Deja-vu all day. Do you know what that means?"

"That you think you've done similar stuff before?" His eyebrows raise. "Or do I know what Deja-vu is? In which case, wow, I'm stung you think I'm that stupid."

He means that wholeheartedly, Alex thinks, though she's not sure how she's already capable of reading his countenance that well. 

"No, I - I meant it, like, literally," Alex says. "I've always used the term, or whatever, and so does everyone else I know, but it's like, French? And I don't speak French. I was wondering if you knew what it meant."

"Sorry to disappoint," Jonas says, "But I missed one too many French classes. Must have missed the topic."

"Shame," Alex says. "But, what I mean is... I feel like, like I knew - or, I've had a conversation about lockpicking and misspent youths before. If that makes sense?"

"Have you?" Jonas asks. 

"I don't know." Alex shrugs. "I don't think I have. At least, not in this lifetime," She grins at him. "Hey, here's a thought. If reincarnation is a thing, like, maybe our ancestors knew each other or something."

"You think?" Jonas tilts his head. "You know, this is going to - yeah, that's too weird just - just forget it."

"No, no! Go on," Alex says, encouraging. "Tell me. I'm not the judging type. My best friend is _Ren,_ come on now," She smiles at him. 

"I just feel like I know you from somewhere," Jonas says. "Like... I don't know. Deja-vu. And I don't just mean _you_ you, I mean like... you and Ren and - and Nona and Clarissa, even, and Michael at least rings a bell, and I don't know why."

Alex tugs the hem of her jacket. "I don't think I've said my brother's name yet," She says. 

Jonas blinks at her. "Ren must have mentioned it," Jonas offers. "Look, I mean - it's weird. I don't know."

"No," Alex says, looking out to the ocean, eyes falling upon the silhouette of Edwards Island looming strangely ominously against the dark, murky waters below, off in the distance. "No, I get it."

Jonas' mouth quirks up at the corner, potentially comforted by her lack of a dismissal. 

"I -" Alex sighs. "I mean, telling you this is kind of redundant, since you also know but, we didn't - that wasn't a prank, earlier."

"Yeah," Jonas shifts in place. "I'm aware. The redundancy is fine - it's, it's kind of freaking me out a little, here." He sounds tense. Alex looks over at him; he's leaning on the railing, a cigarette hanging loosely between two fingers, end glowing burning orange, wisps of smoke rising up and dissipating over the ocean. 

Alex considers her response, as she looks out over the water. "Me too," She admits, feeling a little better for Jonas' own tenseness mirroring hers. She's not crazy, here. If her voice had been on the signal, only her's, and Jonas' hadn't been there too - 

Alex might have thought... something else. Lost time, maybe? She didn't remember ever doing that, getting Carly to let her do... that. Alex doesn't drink so much she blacks out, and Carly wouldn't listen to her drunken wishes anyway, Alex barely knows her but she knows Carly cares deeply about her broadcast, and she wouldn't appreciate Alex trying to mess around with it. 

She just appreciates she's not alone in the weirdness. 

"So, uh," Jonas says, "Aside from all that... weirdness, what's Edwards island like, exactly?"

"Kind of... I mean, I find it kind of interesting," Alex says. "The history? But it's also kind of boring, I don't know. I guess I've seen it too many times." It felt that way. Alex had kind of been dreading going there for the party. She hadn't exactly been sure _why_ she'd been dreading it, this morning, but now she thinks - its a mixture of things.

It's too familiar, if that makes any sense. Alex has spent... too much time there. What's fun about the same beach with the same rocks and the same view and the same trees and the same janky old bridge ferry cable car, that swings a little too hard upon activation? The same stupid amount of clambering over half-made trails and jumping over death-defying gaps and rock-climbing with no safety harness and really, why would you even want to go there? Clearly Maggie Adler didn't want people on her property. The museum never opened thanks to her influence, after all.

Alex frowns again, minutely, and presses her teeth into her tongue out of annoyance. That again. Alex has only ever given mild thought to that particular conspiracy theory. There's enough evidence for it to be true, she supposes. But why? Adler loved the island. She built her fucking house there. Why wouldn't she want people to know it's history? It's not like she stopped the other tourist ventures. The campsite. The shops. The proper ferry and terminals. The signs. The radio tour. 

It's all there. Isn't it? 

Alex sighs. "Sorry about this," She says, kicking the floor. "What a night, huh? Creepy radio messages. No fun beach times where we probably just end up drinking the night away, lounging near a campfire, making terrible choices, trying not to let Ren drown in the ocean, and playing the worst version of truth or dare which is pretty much the only worthwhile export of our town, which, if you think about it, really shows just how much small-town-America this place actually is."

"Sounds like a party," Jonas says, smiling slightly. "I'm not too bummed out, if I'm honest."

"No?" Alex says. "Good, because - I mean, not to say anything, but with Clarissa and me there plus alcohol and Truth or Slap, it would _not_ have gone well."

"No?"

"Nope," Alex confirms. 

"Ren said you had an argument," Jonas comments, leadingly. Alex sighs. "Yeah," She says. "Clarissa wants to skip town with Michael this September. Basically as soon as summer ends. He's thinking of taking a gap year. Staying here and figuring out what he _really_ wants to do with his life." Alex folds her arms over the railing, dropping her finished cigarette into the ocean below. "It's uh, it's a conflict. Clarissa wanted me to encourage him to get out of here. I refused, because, like, he's an adult, he can do what he pleases, right? If he wants some time to figure his shit out, maybe try living with Clarissa in a cheaper apartment here first before throwing all his eggs in one basket, why's that a problem? He's nineteen, she's eighteen, they've got their whole lives ahead of them. Their choices now don't have to be permanent."

"Right," Jonas says. 

"... Do you think I should have?" Alex says. "I could have. He - he takes what I say into account. I could have told him to stay, and he'd never leave. I..." Alex sighs. "Sometimes I think he cares too much about what other people want out of him. Especially me. I mean, I'm his little sister. It's not up to me to... dictate his destiny, right? His life shouldn't be in my hands."

Alex laughs, awkwardly. "God, sorry," She says. "Just offloading all that shit onto you, don't mind me, not making things horribly awkward like an hour after we first met."

"If anything would have made this awkward, it would have been that radio message," Jonas says. "It's fine, Alex, really. If - if that wasn't a rhetorical question, though... my two cents are - 'no'. I think you did the right thing, Alex."

Alex sighs, shoulders relaxing. "Yeah," She says, quietly. "I think I did too."

Alex spots the ferry closing in. "Here they are," Alex says, standing. "Just - Just so you know, marijuana is totally cool, but cigs are totally not," Alex moves towards the car. "You know, so you don't get blindsided by snide remarks, or what have you."

"Well, alright then," Jonas says, crushing his spent cigarette under the heel of his shoe. "Interesting morality."

"That's a small town for you," Alex says. "Though, people older than thirty tend not to like us doing either. Hey, Ren," Alex raps on the window. "Ren! If it smells like shit in there you're airing out the car!"

The door opens. "I know, I know, it doesn't, I promise," Ren says. "You're paying for the air-freshener," Alex says. "They're nearly here."

"Great! The gang will be together shortly," He says. "In the meantime, where do you think we should take this little party of five?"

"There's, like, ten beaches," Alex says. "We could go to the old jetty?"

"Ah, yes, Farlough," Ren nods, absently. "Good choice, Alex. Out of the way, pretty open, usually stacks up with driftwood so it's not bad for bonfires... good choice, good choice."

Alex inspects Ren's pupils. "How much did you have?" She asks, eyebrows climbing up her forehead. "Eh," Ren waves her hand, "I think - shh, but I think I mis-measured the magic. Enough, basically, enough, you know, for a good time, right, for the party we are currently about to have. Hopefully. I mean, if Clarissa being sort of permanently on her period recently-"

"Dude, I'm right here,"

"Ah, woops," Ren says. "Well, you know. If she - and you - don't get into any spats, it should be _fine._ And, like, okay, but, you know, just be cool, please Alex? Don't - you know - be the way that you can be, sometimes."

Alex folds her arms. "The way that I can be?" She asks.

"You know," He waves his hand. "If truth or slap happens to... happen, you know, don't call me out on anything. Even if it's, like, obvious? Best-friend-code, you know. 'Cause, like, I kind of have this... _thing,_ for Nona, and I was hoping tonight..."

"We'll see," Alex says. Ren nods, absently. "And land hoy," He says, gesturing at the docking ferry. "Well, that was a waste of time," drifts over, Clarissa's sharp-edged drawl showcasing her less than stellar mood tonight. "I guess everyone got held up, somewhere..." Nona agrees, softer, as they walk over to the three people clustered around a car (that does, in fact, smell of weed. At least it's faint, Alex supposes, though she'd have preferred if he'd have only eaten a brownie, you know, since it's her mother's car and all).

"Hey guys," Nona says. "Hey," Alex says. Clarissa ignores her. "So, who's this?" She asks, gesturing to Jonas.

"Jonas," Ren says. "He's new."

"Hm." Clarissa looks him over. "Welcome to our lovely little town, I guess. My advice? Finish the year and then get out of here. Asap."

"Duly noted," Jonas says. The car can sit five people. Nona volunteers to drive, and so she does, Ren taking the passenger seat, and then Alex, Jonas and Clarissa sit in the back, in that order. Alex is not sitting next to Clarissa right now, no thank you, but she does feel a little bad for Jonas being sandwiched between two balls of temporary antagonism. 

"So, where are we taking this, if not Edwards island?" Clarissa asks. "And, might I add - _why_ are we not taking this to Edwards island?" 

"Well, for our count, Ale-" Alex kicks the back of Ren's seat, discretely. He jolts, and backtracks, "Allie didn't deign to bring the liquor I requested, and it seemed like a faux-pas to arrive sans beverages... plus, there was this weird thing? Like, on the radio? I mean, not to say anything, but _supposedly_ it wasn't a prank, and if it wasn't and the radio is malfunctioning or whatever then, well, I mean, what's the point of going to some... dangerous island where we could fall off a cliff or drown in a river accidentally - I mean, going to Edwards island is just a semi-dangerous novelty, really, when the whole point of the endeavour is to get absolutely, absurdly drunk, like, completely beyond measure, and probably high too if you are a connoisseur of the magic brownie type, and additonally, like, the main point is that if the radio doesn't work then, well, we can't do the cave thing. So we might as well go somewhere a little less life-threatening. And a little closer to home. I mean, it's never fun taking the ferry with a hangover. I think I've thrown up over th e ra- ah, haha, I mean," He glances at Nona, "I mean, I've seen people throw up over the railing a few times, and it's, like, very much unpleasant, I don't -"

"Right, okay, we get it, Jesus," Clarissa says. "Where are we going instead, then?" Nona asks. "Since, you know... directions, and all..."

"Right, right, yeah," Ren says, "Farlough Jetty."

"Oh, how wonderful," Clarissa says. " _Farlough._ What a shithole."

"You got any better ideas?" Alex asks, folding her arms. "No, it's _fine,_ " Clarissa says, "If you want broken glass jabbing into your feet."

"It's not that bad," Alex defends. "I've never had that happen."

"Because you've been there like, twice, Alex," Clarissa says. "With Michael. Do you think he'd ever let one little precious hair on your head get even slightly frayed? Do you?"

"Actually, he helped me convince our parents that I could dye my hair, which damages it, so... yes?"

"Fucking pedantic," Clarissa sighed. "Could you, perhaps, for once, go by the _spirit,_ and not the _letter?"_

"Nah," Alex says.

"Alright, okay," Nona says. "Um, so, is it Farlough?"

"Yes, yes, fine," Clarissa says. "Let's drop by my house, first, because there's no point if we've no alcohol."

They do that, stopping by Clarissa's family's home and picking up a cooler and some beers. It takes ten minutes or so, then they arrive at Farlough, at the opposite end of town from Edwards' Island. It's just a small, old, abandoned Jetty which was semi-updated in the 70s before being quickly abandoned again. It's a common student hangout zone, for the college here, but it's rarely visited by anyone else, and drunk 20-somethings aren't well known for tidying up after themselves.

"A shithole, huh," Jonas says. 

"Yeah," Clarissa strides past him, lays her blanket out on a clear patch of sand. Nona goes about setting up the campfire. "So." She says, dropping down and folding herself onto the blanket, cross-legged. "Truth or Slap?" Alex heaves the cooler out of the trunk and then deposits it near their selected spot, then retrieves a drink for herself. "God, really?" She complains. "Do we have to?"

"Well, yes," Clarissa says. "The whole point is - indulge, lounge, play stupid drinking games. Truth or Slap is, like, a rite of passage anyway, and new kid hasn't played it yet."

"Yeah, let's play that!" Ren says. "It's part of _the initiation_. We can inaugurate Jonas."

Alex wanders over to a small collection of rocks, and starts attempting to skip stones across the water. She's not very good - most of them don't even manage one, just sink straight down. It's more like she's throwing them, and it's a little silly, so she stops quickly and wanders back over to the campfire, takes a seat on the opposite side of Clarissa's spot. Thankfully this section of sand is pretty clear of clear dangers, aka translucent glass that can slice up a leg (or worse) pretty bad. 

"Exactly," Nona says. Jonas wanders over to the cooler, grabs himself a can of beer, then drops down onto the sand on Alex's side of the campfire. 

"Oh boy," Alex mutters. Jonas glances at her. "So, uh, what is Truth or Slap, exactly?" Jonas asks. 

"We used to call it Hippo - until we all got tired of explaining to out-of-towners and newcomers, 'why's it called hippo?' -"

"Because you get to yell 'you're a dirty hippo' before slapping the liar," Nona chimes in. "Yeah, exactly, and it's a better name than Truth or Slap, but, I mean, 'Truth or Slap' is at least less obtuse to people like you, Jonas, who are not from our fair lands -"

"Oh my god, get on with it," Clarissa says. 

"Right, well," Ren shrugs. "Nona basically said it. People take turns asking a question to other people in a group. If you lie, and someone else calls you out on that lie, _provably,_ then they get to slap you. And optionally yell 'you're a dirty hippo' before that, but that's usually the 'drunken' part of this being a 'drinking game', you know, so it doesn't tend to happen first-round."

"It's okay for getting to know people," Nona says. 

"And for weeding out liars," Clarissa says. "So, let's start, yeah?"

"Sure," Alex sighs, drawing nonsensical shapes in the sand. "Why not? Any excuse to hit Ren," She jokes, grinning at her friend. Ren sighs at her, knowing the likelihood of her calling him out is probably fifty-fifty, especially with a few beers in her system. Speaking of beers, Alex goes to grab herself another few, since the night's cold enough and she doesn't really want to have to keep wandering over to the cooler. She sits back down, between Nona and Jonas. 

"Right," Jonas says, hesitantly, but drily. "So..." 

"If you really don't want to we can just do like, one round, and then get properly into the night's festivities, i.e. - drinking and other illicit activities. Since, you know, I did some _baking_ in preparation for the evening," Ren gestures towards his bag. 

"Oh, nice," Nona says. "No, it's - really, I'm down," Jonas says. "Cool," Nona nods. "So, who-"

"I'll start - Ren," Clarissa blurts out, quickly, sitting up properly from where she'd started to lounge. "Uhuh?" Ren leans forwards, looking vaguely disquieted. Clarissa is a very good player at this particular game - she's probably going to be a psych major, Alex thinks wryly. The girl knows how people tick. 

"C'mon, fess up. You wanna go out with Nona, right?"

"Clarissa!" Nona complains, "Wait wait wait - I wanna hear his answer-!" "Aww, man, you're good at this," Alex says, supressing a grin. Ren looks at her, panicked. She's not the only one that can call him out; really, they all know it. Clarissa is, probably, Alex thinks, just testing if he's going to be a coward about it. In her own way, this is kind of a... test. She really cares about Nona. Not that Nona wants her to do this, of course, but Clarissa tends to get what she wants, and what she wants right now is what she thinks is best for her friend, which is to know Ren's intentions in plain English and not inference. And, honestly, Alex thinks Ren just needs a little push. Nothing _major -_ just a reason. Or he's going to work it all up in his head and never say anything. Or say something _really_ stupid to cover up his crush, that's also something Ren would do. 

"Oh, wow! Okay," Ren says, sitting back. "Uh, well, you see, I-"

"If being good means being kinda mean about it," Jonas responds to Alex, quietly, under Ren's rambling. "Well... yeah," Alex replies, equally low. "The point of the game is brutal honesty or pain. Otherwise it's like... like, you know how truth or dare is like, embarrassing? Well this is like, painful, it's like, physical pain or a little bit of an emotional sting. And being good at the game means... being good at reading people."

"Right," Jonas mutters, dry as a bone. 

"Hey, I didn't come up with it," Alex defends. She takes a drink from her third beer. "Though, I do get a little too into it," She admits. "I'm kind of competitive. In some aspects. Just a little."

"... like her as a friend, alright?" Alex catches as she tunes back in, and she sighs, raising an eyebrow at Ren. He knows the rules, and she knows he knows she knows the rules too, and he's keeping one eye on her, just in case she decides to call him out on it. Alex considers this as he continues to dig his own grave. _Thy doth protest too much,_ or something right?

"That's - I just like her as a friend," Ren tries. He's never been a good liar - it's half the reason they always ended up getting caught when they tried to pull shit. Granted, Alex hasn't always been the best liar, either, but she's at least capable _occasionally._ Ren's never told a lie that stuck. Or made sense. 

"She's - she's cool, she's - I just like her as a friend." He repeats. "That's all!" 

Alex shakes her head, grinning. His shoulders relax. "You know something," Clarissa accuses Alex. "I mean, yeah," Alex says. "But how do you prove a crush, really? It's just my word against his. Both, equally fallible." 

Ren sighs in relief. 

"However," Alex says. "My word isn't the only word here," She continues. "So if I were to be backed up..."

"Alex!" Ren complains. Jonas looks at her askance. 

"You know how the game is played," Alex says, unrepentant. "You're the one who wanted to initiate Jonas! Look, I'll slap you like, really lightly, he just needs to learn how to play the game." Alex stands. 

"Oh come on, a light slap?" Clarissa complains. "I sincerely remember you leaving a red handprint on someone's face, last time we played this."

"Hey!" Alex replies, pointing at her with her beer. "Pot, kettle! And you never slap Nona, even when you _know_ she's lying, so, like, I'm doing _you_ a favour here!"

Clarissa hums. "Really?" Ren says. Alex shrugs. "Dude, I mean, it's not like... you're not very good at lying on the spot, I'm sorry," She says, genuinely. "You totally like her."

"Alex, come - what - are you doing?" He says, glancing between her and Jonas. Alex raises an eyebrow at Jonas. "You're the one who wanted to play the stupid game," She reminds Ren. "Least you could do is abide by the rules."

Ren snorts. "Yes, because we're both so well known for that," 

Alex laughs. "Seriously though," She says. "You told me you like her! Trying to cover - I mean, why'd you even try! Jonas was standing right there!"

"I - I was compromised!" Ren defends, "Come on Alex, you're like - I asked you to be cool about it! I told you in confidence! And now you're, you're like, being the opposite of whatever cool is!"

"I'm playing the game!" Alex says, "What happened to 'Yeah! Let's play that! Initiate Jonas', or whatever?" 

"You were awfully excited," Clarissa points out. "And you know how the game goes. Plus, I recall you asking Alex a very pointed question about Ben once, so... how the tables turn, huh?"

"I was just making sure she wasn't thinking about making a very bad decision!"

"You can do better," Nona agrees, looking at Alex. "I mean, Ben's alright, I guess, but..."

"Oh come on, when did this become about _my_ dating life?" Alex says. "Look, you lied, Ren. And I gotta slap you, you dirty hippo... _if_ Jonas backs up my claim." 

"Aww, man," Ren sighs, running a hand down his face. "You're being like - really - just, the opposite of cool. Hot! And in a bad way! In a very, very bad way!" Ren glances at Jonas. "Come on, man," He says. "Please," He looks between them and Nona, who's expression is somewhat unreadable. "You'll be cool, right?"

"I mean," Jonas says. "It's not like she'll slap you _that_ hard, right? And isn't it... the point of the game, or whatever?"

"Aww, man..." 

"Great!" Clarissa grins. "You get first blood, Alex. Slap him like he stole something!"

Alex walks up to Ren, grinning. He looks at her flatly. "One round, huh?" Alex says. "Tell you what - I'll lie on my next one and you get to slap me. Fair?"

Ren considers this. "No," He decides. "But a consolation effort i appreciate nonetheless. Slap away."

Alex slaps him. Hard, by accident. "Ow!" Ren yelps, a hand snapping up to his face. "You did not have to hit that hard!"

"Oh, wow, I did not mean to," Alex laughs, as does Clarissa. "Sorry, Ren," She says, offering a cold beer to hold to his cheek. 

"Geez, I didn't think you had it in you," Jonas comments, laughingly. "Alex," Ren says, scowling slightly, "Does not know her own strength, nor the meaning of the word 'restraint'."

"Yeah, I missed that spelling bee," Alex says. Ren sighs. "That's... you know what, that proves my point."

"So... Alex's turn?" Jonas asks. 

"I mean, yeah," She says. "But, out of courtesy, I'm going to let Ren have a turn."

"Oh, how magnanimous of you," Ren says. "And, might I add, completely against the very rules you were so fond of a minute ago! But fine. Say, _Alex -_ Marry, screw, kill. Me, nona, clarissa?"

"Oh, god," Alex says. "Wow, I mean, if you really want to ask me that, I guess... I mean - jesus, I don't want to kill any of you, and - and that isn't even - I mean, that's the fuck marry kill game! It's an entirely different game!"

"Aww, come on, Alex," Ren says. "Play along, would ya?" 

"Yeah, Alex," Clarissa says. "This should be _fun."_

Alex sighs. "Fine! Fine. Uh, Jesus. Okay, so..." She hesitates. "Alright, I guess... I don't want to kill _any_ one of you, but... I mean - I mean, I'm not going to kill Clarissa because - you know, family ties and all that-"

"Oh great, being the older brother's girl saved my ass," Clarissa says, "Wonderful,"

Alex winces. "So, uh, both of those options would be _really_ weird in this context - god, Ren, why would you do this to me? But, I mean, I guess marry, since we don't have to like," Alex shudders, " _Consummate_ or whatever and like, could get an immediate divorce? _But_ that leaves screw and kill on the table, and like - I don't want to do either of those! But like, um, people survive drowning all the time, right? And, like, if I learnt CPR or whatever, I guess I could like, drown - I mean, I could like... okay, I'm..." Alex sighs. "I'm going to choose you for this one, Ren, 'cause like - I mean, I'm not - like, you trust me, right? Like, I'm not... it just wouldn't be fair for me to _kill_ Nona, that's just... really uncool..."

"So that leaves screw, then?" Jonas says. Alex winces. "I guess?" She says. "Not like, that that would be..."

"No, I get it," Nona says. "If it was like, I mean, you're not horrible to look at or anything, and if it was literally life or death I wouldn't like, leave you to rot if a one night stand was what it took, you know?"

Alex grins. "Thanks, Nona," She says. 

Ren sighs. "Well, I can't say that was a lie, so..."

"Also," Alex adds, "You've used up your consolation! Now you have to prove I'm lying. Ha."

"Great planning, there, Reginald," Clarissa says. "So. Alex's turn?"

Alex nods. "For real, this time," the redhead adds, sharply. "Yeah, yeah, right," Alex thinks about it, for a second. "Alright, Clarissa," She says, tilting her head. "Oh, this better be good," Clarissa grumbles. "Worst fear?" Alex asks. 

"Hmm." Clarissa looks mildly surprised. "Uh, well... I suppose, it's like... not your run of the mill, it's - getting like, stuck. At the end of your life, wishing things had gone different, you know? Like, dying with _way_ too many regrets. Like... I don't want that. I don't want my past to... haunt me or whatever when I'm like, a hundred years old or whatever."

"Oh," Alex says. "Huh," Ren comments. "Yeah, that's actually..."

"I get that," Alex says. "Yeah," Jonas adds, nodding slightly. 

"Well," Ren shrugs. "Clarissa's turn, then?"

"Okay, so... Jonas," Clarissa says, and Alex sits up straighter. The girl's got a look in her eyes Alex never likes to see there. "Are the rumours true?"

"Oh, wow, that's -" Alex starts, "Jesus, Clarissa," Nona says, "God, I mean -" "Seriously, the boy just got here," Ren says, "No need to give him the ol' - interrogatory act, I mean..."

"Uh, well," Jonas says, "No," Alex says, "No, you don't have to answer that, seriously?"

"Yeah, I mean, asking me - what you asked me is like, one thing but this is, like, I mean," Ren shakes his head, "I mean..."

"What is your problem today?" Alex says standing. 

"Alex," Jonas says. "No, don't - it's not just this, don't - it's just, you've been grumpy like, all night," Alex switches to addressing Clarissa. "You don't have to like, take it out on everyone else. I know you're mad at me. Go on. Ask me something."

"Do you want your brother to die in this fucking town?" Clarissa asks, leaning back. "Is that what you want, Alex? Do you want him to do nothing in his life except wait on your beck and call? There? Are you happy?"

"No," Alex says, coolly, "I'm not happy. And he's free to go when he likes, Clarissa. But it's _his_ choice. Not mine, not yours, not our parents, not his teachers, nobodies'. Just his own. And, like, if you're really this upset about him, talk to him, for god's sakes, he's been really worried the past week, you know."

Clarissa glances away. "I just needed some time to cool down," She says, shortly. "He knows that." She looks back at Alex. "You know he won't go without, like, your royal fucking permission," She says, and Alex feels a sinking notion that she's right, isn't she? And Alex knows it. She fucking told Jonas just that, on the dock. "So just, god, just tell him to get the hell out of here or you'll smack him black and blue, or something. Before he withers away into nothing. This town is fucking draining him, and you know it. He hates it here."

"He doesn't hate it here," Alex sighs. "He hates the pressure people here put him under." 

Clarissa looks at her, surprised. "Yeah, I'm not stupid, funny that," Alex says. "He's my brother, dumbass. I know him. It's not the place he hates - god, he dragged me out to Edwards island for a civics history project, if he didn't care at least a little he'd have coasted on that like he did the rest of his classes, come on now. And, like, I get it, you know? I'm getting out of here when College comes by," She admits, "But like, he's just not _sure._ And that's fine, right? He doesn't have to be perfect, no matter what everyone else wants out of him. He doesn't have to make a choice right now, and whatever he chooses doesn't have to be permanent."

"... Well, I can't say that's a lie," Clarissa says, begrudgingly. Alex opens her fifth beer. "Nope," She nods. "Not even a little."

"Alright, so, Alex, then?" Nona says, breaking the awkward atmosphere that rose up from the topic Clarissa had brought forth. "Yeah," Alex sighs. "Nona, uh... have you like... ever... peed in a public pool?" She asked. 

"Uh, no," Nona says. "Super question," Clarissa says, drily, "You're like an investigative journalist, or whatever."

Alex wanders over to the pile of rocks. "Yeah," She says. "A real private eye," She chucks a rock into the ocean. 

"... Uh, Nona, right?" Jonas says.

"Yeah," Nona nods. "Clarissa... if you had to get a tattoo, what would it be?"

Clarissa hums in consideration. "A chick riding a motorcycle that's on fire!" Ren offers.

"She didn't ask you," Clarissa says. "And... I'd get an ampersand. On my ring finger. I think I am actually gonna get that, once I move out. So my parents can't say anything." 

"Cool, cool," Ren says. "Your question?"

Clarissa shrugs. "I'm bored now," She says. "I'm not, apparently, allowed to ask anything _interesting,_ so..."

"Look," Jonas says. "Most of them are true. There you go."

Ren laughs awkwardly. "Wow, okay, I mean, you didn't have to do that, but... wow, okay."

"Really?" Nona says. "Huh."

Jonas shrugs, and Alex reads it as uncomfortable. She returns to her spot beside him at the campfire. 

"Well, alright then," Clarissa says. "Good to know." She looks over at the beers. "Ugh, can someone push the cooler over here?" 

Ren obliges, putting the cooler closer to the group, then handing out a few beers. "Anyone want a taste of the magic?" He asks, retrieving his bag. 

"Why do you have to phrase it so, like... gross?" Clarissa says. "And... no, thanks."

"More for me," Ren says, shrugging. 

Alex sighs, eyes trained on the flickering flames, the others' conversations falling out of focus. Jonas leans forwards, slightly, tilts his head to catch a glimpse of her face. "You alright, Alex?" He asks.

"Yeah," Alex says, drawn out. "Sorry about - all that. Truth or Slap is usually less, uh, Harrowing. Or awkward."

Jonas laughs, quietly. "I'll take your word for it," He says. "So... how does this night usually go? On the island."

"Like this, so I've heard," Alex shrugs. "Some people ditch the beach to go clambering around the forest, but... most people keep to the safe, flat, low ground of the beach. At least, before they get too drunk to think about consequences if they fall or whatever."

"Sounds fun," Jonas says. 

"Not really," Alex shrugs. "I mean... you're stranded on the island _all night._ And everywhere's closed. Have to sleep on the beach and hope you don't put your towel or blanket or whatever down on top of someone's vomit. Or - you know. Where someone, or multiple someone's, have decided to use the ground as a toilet."

"Lovely," Jonas responds.

"Yeah," Alex agrees. "So..."

"Is here any better?" Jonas asks.

Alex tilts her head. 

"Actually, not really." She says. "All you're missing here is the death-defying leaps across gaps on rocky geological formations, and, like, a shitty radio tour. Replace that with blue fire and the occasional shard of glass that could cause some serious harm, and this is honestly kind of an improvement."

"Well then," Jonas says. "Guess we're not missing out on much."

"Not at all," Alex says. "And, like, you can go to Edwards island during the day. When you can like, you know, see. And get a ferry back when scheduled, so you don't have to stay there like twelve hours. It's just... a better time. It's really busy, during the day, actually. But the caves are totally off limits, so it's just a thing for like, normal exploration."

"That kind of sounds like... fun," Jonas offers. Alex smiles. "You can say it doesn't," Alex says. 

"No, I mean it," He repeats, more sure. 

"Well, you'll never find a better guide," Alex says. "Seriously, I know the whole place like the back of my hand. Except the caves, obviously. Can't go in those. But I've been all over the rest of the island. I mean, most of it is closed, but the security is really, really lax. So long as you avoid Adler's house, you're fine."

"Adler's house?"

"Yeah," Alex nods. "This old woman, Margaret Adler - everyone knows her as Maggie Adler, though - lives on the island. She like, owns most of it, if not all of it. Been there since - god, forever? At least like, the fifties. I don't know. She's as much a part of the island's history as like, the rock it's made of."

"Huh," Jonas's expression turns considering. "Have you ever met her?"

"No," Alex says. "She's like, a hermit or something. Never leaves the island. Plus she's _super_ old, so she also never leaves the house. I think she gets her groceries through the ferry. She's got like, an estate? So she has family. But I don't know if they ever visit or whatever." Alex looks into the blue-green flames, and sighs again. "It's... she's probably pretty lonely. But, I mean. It's probably by choice."

"You don't live alone on a secluded island and never leave for no reason," Jonas agrees. 

"Are you talking about Adler?" Nona says. 

"Yeah, why?" Alex asks. "Didn't you hear?" She responds. "She died, like, three days ago. It was on the local news and everything, and it's all they've talked about on the radio since."

"Huh," Alex says. "This is what I get for not keeping up with the local current events."

Nona shrugs. "My dad watches the news," She says. "And my mom plays the radio in her car, doesn't use, like, music streaming or CDs or whatever." 

"Oh, that's so annoying," Alex says. "And they, like, talk over the music and everything, _ugh."_

"It's like, a _Thing_ in broadcasting," Nona says. "'Hitting the post'. They get all like, chuffed when they do it, and it's supposed to be like super impressive and give 'forward momentum' or something, but it's just really dumb and everyone hates it. Well, most everyone. Not people in the industry, obviously... My mom complains about it all the time." Nona shrugs. "Um, so like... why did Adler come up?"

"I was just telling Jonas about the island," Alex says. "Maggie is basically like, the island personified or something, so she's impossible to avoid."

"That's true," Nona says. "Kind of a shame you guys didn't come across. Like, I mean, I know it would have just been the five of us, but I think we could have had enough fun."

"I know," Alex says, feeling a cold shiver down her spine, the radio weighing heavy in her pocket. "But, uh, you know how these things go." She laughs, nervously. "And Allie flaked out on us with the alcohol, so..."

"No, I get it," Nona nods. "Plus, I mean, you kind of don't want to have your first experience on Edwards island drunk. You might... fall. Lose a leg, or something."

"Yeah, exactly," Alex says. "I was thinking - Jonas should probably go during the daytime, first. You wanna come? We could make like a thing out of it, or whatever."

"Uh... I mean, sure," Nona says. "I'm not much of a hiker..."

"Well, there aren't many hills where I'm from," Jonas says, wryly. "North Valley - kind of in the name, so..."

"Oh, well," Nona says, "I guess I will be a bit more useful, then... I have good balance. From ballet."

"Nice," Alex says. "Are we - inviting the others?" 

"I think if we don't invite Clarissa, she might have to talk to Michael just for something to do," Alex says, reasonably, "And... like, they just, they need to have some kind of chat." Nona nods. "And, Ren... look, Ren is not the most... on hikes? Co-ordinated, I guess. And sometimes he tries to do them high, which is never the best plan. I mean - I just, if we're showing someone new around, it's probably best to not... have to watch out for someone who's a little..."

"Unreliable?" Jonas offers.

"Hey now," Alex sighs. "But... I mean, you have a _point._ In this only, though," She adds, quickly, looking at Nona. "I mean -"

"No, it's, I get it," Nona says. "I just, I mean..." Nona sighs. "I... could you - I mean, Ren's great, and all, he's like weird, but a cool weird. Good weird. But I'm, I'm just not looking for that now. Not right now. So, could you tell him that? Please?"

Alex considers her words, bites her lip, then tries, "Just... I mean, yeah, I, I'll tell him, but could you... think about it? Just think about it! I'm not asking you to like, throw yourself into something you don't want to do, but he's a great guy, and he really likes you, and... all that, so..."

"Maybe," Nona says, "And _if_ I say yes to 'just think about it' - you too. Think about telling him."

"No - I, I will." Alex says. "Just, I'm just saying to... not rule anything out, exactly. I mean, maybe, maybe what you want, if you got to know him better, would surprise you."

"Maybe," Nona echoes, with a smile. "So, uh, Edwards island?"

Alex recalls the message they'd been given. By themselves; her and Jonas. Maybe it's a bad idea. It probably is. But that message, also, probably means there's _something_ going on. Hell. Maybe it's trying to warn them away for _nefarious_ purposes. Maybe they _need_ to go there. 

"Yeah," Alex says. "When you're next availible?"

"Well, it's a friday," Nona says. "And I'm not really going to be doing much, so..."

"Well, great!" Alex says. "Sunday?"

"Sunday," Nona agrees. "See you at the ferry around... ten?"

"Sure," Alex agrees. "Plenty of daylight. Reasonable weekend lie-in."

Nona smiles, and nods. "Alright then," She says, and wanders off, towards Clarissa. Ren edges on over to them. "So," He says, "Uh, it looks like I might have mis-measured the magic in the _entire_ batch, and it - phew, its _really_ kicking in, so I'm... I'm just going to... uh... sit here, and... you know..."

"Oh, man, seriously?" Alex says. "You'd think you'd be better at this by now. Look, I mean, not the best time to say this, but I said I would, so... Nona said, she said to tell you she's not really looking for a relationship right now."

"Uh, what?" Ren blinks at her, slowly. Alex sighs. "Never mind," She says. "Take a nap, or something."

Ren drifts off, stoned out of his mind from his too-strong pot brownie. Jonas frowns lightly at him.

"He was probably distracted when he made them," Alex offers. "He's a worse cook when he's nervous. Probably worked himself up over Nona, and... added just a little extra to calm the nerves, measured the numbers wrong, and made the dosage a little too high. It happens."

"Yeah," Jonas says. "No kidding about the 'unreliable on mountains' thing, though." 

"Few more beers and we'd be the same," Alex says. "These are like, probably one or two percent or something stupidly low like that. I mean, I'm just saying. Alcohol, drugs, tomato, tomato."

"Eh, true," Jonas shrugs. "Okay," He says. "Beer?" He asks. "Sure," Alex says, and Jonas fetches a couple. Alex cracks open the can. A few more drinks later, like she said, she's fully drunk, and then a few more drinks after that, and the night turns hazy. Another few, and Alex, in the morning, struggles to remember after that.

About three in the morning is when the memories go missing, and frankly Alex thinks she did very well. She's heard stories about people missing like, seven hours of the party before. Granted, Alex - Alex is sixty-percent sure she didn't do any drugs. Only sixty though. Ren, when you are drunk, can be pretty persuasive on the weed thing, especially when he's your best friend. 

Alex grumbles into her cereal, as she takes a couple pills for the hangover's lovely accompanying migraine. The accompanying migraine usually only happens when she mixes her alcohol intake with other indulgences, so Alex is raising that sixty to something more like eighty. eighty five. ninety at maximum. 

Michael looks vaguely amused as he fries bacon on the hob. "Don't start," She warns, and he holds a hand up in mock surrender. "So, did you all have fun?" He asks. "... Yeah," Alex says. "Keep an eye out for Clarissa, I think... I think she might be okay to talk to, from today onwards. Maybe."

Michael shakes his head. "Alright," He says, smiling. "Did you make up?"

"In a sense, I guess," Alex says. "How's the new kid?" Michael asks. "Jonas, right?"

"Yeah," Alex nods. "Jonas." She pauses. "He's cool, I guess."

"Ah, 'cool', the most promising of descriptors," Michael says. "Describe Mr Cool, would you?"

Alex laughs, shakes her head. "Yeah, uh, don't call him that. And, um, he's just, normal. I guess. Like, the rumours are... mostly true, don't get me wrong, but he's - nice. Pretty reasonable. Calm, easy-going enough. Got a little bothered by Ren, but most people do when they first meet him. He's like, a really healthy fungus. He grows on you. Or whatever." Alex pauses. "I guess Jonas is just, like, decent, or whatever."

"Decent, or whatever," Michael nods. "That'll be going into the records."

"Oh god, don't," Alex grins, then winces, and gets up to rifle through the freezer for an ice pack she can hold against her head. "You know I'm not good at this."

"As a matter of fact, actually, I think you're very good at this." He says. "The rumours aren't all there is to him, and judging him solely by his past is unfair. New town, new start, new Jonas."

"I guess?" Alex says, considering. "I mean, that makes sense."

"I like to think I tend to," Michael smiles. "Are you going to eat the soggy mush your cereal has become, or would you like some of this?" He gestures to the frying pan. Alex blinks and looks down at her bowl, then groans. "Damnit," She says, and Michael laughs good-naturedly. "Eggs and bacon it is," He says. 

Alex feels the buzz of her phone against her thigh, and takes it out of the pocket of her dressing gown. Just Nona, confirming the time and place for tomorrow. And Jonas, confirming he got her text to his number. Alex adds his contact. She eats her breakfast quickly, and absconds to the safe darkness of her room thereafter. 

It's quiet, and comfortable. And yet, Alex feels... not exactly discomfort. She's not disquieted. But there's something, like a tang to the air, she feels... off. Tired, certainly, though drained might be more apt a term. On the one hand, it makes sense. On the other hand, it feels somewhat excessive for just one late night. She's done things like this before. And this time was no different, really. In fact, you could probably call it tamer. So... where did that leave her? Lethargically drained like she's run twenty marathons in the last day, or that she's been running on the spot her whole life, that she's... just, tired. In all conceivable ways. Emotionally, physically, mentally, but last night wasn't _that_ bad. A bit of a rough start, sure, but it evened out towards the middle and ended on what was probably a high note, judging by the fact she's changed Clarissa's contact back from 'bitch' to, well, Clarissa. She has also changed Ren's contact to Hippo, which is somewhat amusing, but Alex changes it back for consistency's sake. Everyone's first names just makes things a little easier. Also makes having to explain contact aliases less annoying, too, which is a factor. 

Alex closes her eyes, places the ice pack on her forehead, and settles in for a rest. A rest that turns into a nap, a nap that turns into a sleep, and she wakes when the sun is setting low in the sky. "Whoops," Alex mutters, and checks her phone. A random message from Ren about this book he's reading that he doesn't really get, yet, which Alex responds to. Nothing from anyone else, not that she expected it, though she's not exactly unsurprised to find she's discomforted by the lack of communication. Alex has... the strangest feeling. Like - if she doesn't know where people are, what they're doing, they could be lying dead on the floor somewhere. Fell from a great height. Jumped out a window.

Alex winces, rubs at her head. Looks like the migraine isn't gone yet. The ice pack has gone useless now, though, warm, and she needs to eat something anyway; her stomach churns, upset at the idea, but she feels a little hollowly hungry, regardless of a hangover that should really be gone by now, anyway. 

Alex stands, finds herself steady on her feet, and is thankful for it. She wanders on downstairs, bins the disposable ice pack, and grabs herself a simple sandwich from the fridge. They have a few ready-made sandwiches, just in case you're feeling peckish but lazy. It's a decent system to put in place, Alex thinks. Sometimes, the effort to make food is a bit annoying. Like when you're ill. Or you're hungover. Or you've a migraine that just won't quit. 

Alex polishes off her sandwich as quickly as she dares, drinks a glass of orange juice and takes some more medicine to hopefully speed up her recovery from the splitting headache she's got going on. With nothing else to do and no incentive to do anything else, Alex wanders back on upstairs and settles into bed. Getting up early tomorrow is probably a good thing to do, anyway.

Alex has... a feeling she'll need all the rest she can get, for tomorrow. The radio sits, innocuous, on her table. She's not taking it, because it's not got enough frequencies anyway, but... something about not having it sits heavy in her gut, like - like if she decided to leave the house without her legs. She needs the radio, but she _doesn't_ need the radio. If she goes, _if_ she goes, which she feels like she should but she shouldn't but she should and she shouldn't and she's _going_ to go, so it doesn't matter whether it's should or shouldn't, anyway, she needs to _not_ take the radio with her.

So she won't. 

... Plus, there are like, two sitting with Adler's stuff in the red brick building anyway. Alex forgets what it's called; she doesn't really pay attention to that part of the tour. 

Alex falls into a restful, but strange sleep. She dreams - about a lot of things. She doesn't remember them when she wakes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and, cut. That's a wrap.
> 
> Thoughts so far?


End file.
